What is backlink?
A link from another website to yours. Links from trusted, relevant sites are one of the signals search engines use.
The plain definition
A backlink is a link on someone else’s website that points to a page on yours. Search engines treat links a bit like recommendations: a link from a trusted site that is relevant to your business suggests that your page is worth visiting. Not all links count equally, and a few good ones are worth more than many poor ones.
An example
A local chamber of commerce lists member businesses with a link to each website. A supplier’s “where to buy” page links to your shop. A local news story about your charity event links to your page. Each is a real link from a real site that has a reason to mention you.
Why it matters for a local business
Buying links or swapping them in bulk breaks search engine rules and can do harm. The safe route is slow and ordinary: be listed where customers expect to find you, earn mentions from partners and local groups, and publish something worth linking to.
Check it for free
See where you stand with the free SEO compare tool. If you would rather have it handled, our Local SEO service covers this as part of the monthly work.
Related terms
Part of the SEO glossary. New to all this? Start with the beginner’s SEO guide.
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